Techno Rebels: The Renegades of Electronic Funk

By Dan Sicko

When it was originally published in 1999, Techno Rebels became the definitive text on a hard-to-define but vital genre of music. Author Dan Sicko demystified techno's characteristics, influences, and origins and argued that although techno enjoyed its most widespread popularity in Europe, its birthplace and most important incubator was Detroit. In this revised and updated edition, Sicko expands on Detroit's role in the birth of techno and takes readers on an insider's tour of techno's past, present, and future in an enjoyable account filled with firsthand anecdotes, interviews, and artist profiles.

Techno Rebels begins by examining the underground 1980s party scene in Detroit, where DJs and producers like the Electrifying Mojo, Ken Collier, The Wizard, and Richard Davis were experimenting with music that was a world apart from anything happening in New York or Los Angeles. He details the early days of the "Belleville Three"--Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson--who created the Detroit techno sound and became famous abroad as the sound spread to the UK and Europe. In this revised edition, Sicko delves deeper into the Detroit story, detailing the evolution of the artists and scene into the mid-1990s, and looks to nearby Ann Arbor to consider topics like the Electrifying Mojo's beginnings, the role of radio station WCBN, and the emergence of record label Ghostly International. Sicko concludes by investigating how Detroit techno functions today after the contrived electronica boom of the late 1990s, through the original artists, new sounds, and Detroit's annual electronic music festival.

Ultimately, Sicko argues that techno is rooted in the "collective dreaming" of the city of Detroit--as if its originators wanted to preserve what was great about the city--its machines and its deep soul roots. Techno Rebels gives a thorough picture of the music itself and the trailblazing musicians behind it and is a must-read for all fans of techno, popular music, and contemporary culture.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0814334385
• ISBN13: 9780814334386
• Release Date: April 2010
• Publisher: Wayne State University Press
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.6" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Educate!!!!!

Most will not understand this book, esp the rich little newbie surburbans who only know moby and oakenfold types. Take a time machine back in time to early 80's chicago (south side) , detroit (inner city) , Newyork (Bronxs) and grow up a under privilaged minority and you will understand where techno funk really came from. if you can't get in that state of mind then stay away from this book. because names like Ron hardy, Derrick May ,juan atkins, etc will mean nothing to you, because you were not part of the struggle, so all those who say it is boring because it does not reflect a big Ibiza rave or love parade. you will go to grave never knowing where it all started. Techno is no different then any style that has been badly emulated and shaped by cultures who bring to it there own exeperience and have the capital to make it go pop and ruin what use to be a very funky underground style. the same will eventually happen to Hip Hop. and to the reviewer who said your professor gave you this to read, Her mind is totally on a different level then yours.and also books like this dont explain gear no reason to, you want to know gear go buy some magazines. the soul makes the music not the machines, there just brushes to paint what you are saying from your subconcious. Black and Gifted making electronic music.

Of less than 20 Techno books out there, this one rules

If you're thinking of which Techno book to get for a gift, or for yourself, out of books like: "The Allmusic guide to Electronica" "Electro shock!" and "Looking for the perfect beat", this book is the better of the four. It basically tells the tale of the rise of Techno, and it's morph into "Electronica" and lists lots of key artists and groups, with info on them, in the process.

Reviewer above misses the point.

I think the reviewer above who complains about Sicko's lack of information on hardcore and trance has somewhat missed the point. This book exists, as the author stated above, to show the ignorant American that techno was, in fact, a music indigenous to his/her country. Techno isn't trance and it isn't hardcore. If you want to read about trance there's all too many books. If you want to read about techno there are very few. All credit to Sicko for trying to rectify that.

Great

Fantastic book!Don't listen to the dude who complained about the fact that the "German contribution" was not paid attention to. The guys he mentioned: Oliver Lieb, Sven Vath and Paul Van Dyck have absolutely nothing to do with Detroit techno. They are to Detroit techno as Kenny G is to jazz. Inconsequential! The Germans who must be given credit are given their dues: Kraftwerk.The book fleshes out all the main players. This is an honest look at the 313 scene.Great book.

Good techno backgrounder and reference guide

I ordered this book the moment I got a notification from the Betalounge.com. Techno Rebels gives a historical overview of the origins of techno including detailed descriptions of the major players. Interesting details like pictures of "Techno Boulevard", Inner City's Saunderson (someone's music I always have admired) organizational talent to bring the right people (writers/singers) together to bring techno to the masses (allways thought Kevin did all the writing by himself). Even if you're not much of a reader, the last part of the books gives a reference of influential techno records together with availability info. As these records get re-released it will be fun to dig these songs up again. It's nice to see that someone took up the job to write this book and succeeded very well.